Easel for showcards



April 1 1924.

F. C. SCHLITZER EASEL FOR SHOWCARDS" Filed July 13, 1923 Apr, l, i933,

EASEL F033; EH91? GARDS.

Application filed July 13,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK C. SCHLlTZER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and o'tate of New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in lflasel for l jhowcards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an easel for supportin show cards, display signs or the like.

Such easels usually constructed of cardboard or similar material so that they may be compactly folded for conr'enient storage and transportation and readily unfolded when required for supporting the article with which they are associated. lo the forms of these easels as heretofore constructed the main upright standard, prop or brace plate connected at its front edge with the show card would in time bend or curl laterally at its rear end due to the effects of changes in temperature and weather conditions which resulted in impairing the stability of the easel and reducing its effectiveness as a support for the show card or the like mounted thereon so that the same is liable to fall or collapse.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide an easel which has its standard, prop or leg provided with means whereby the rear edge of the same is held in a rearwardly projecting position from the show card and restrained against lateral deflection and also to provide a firm support for the lower end of the easel so that the same is capable of maintaining the show card or the like constantly in an upright normal positron w1th out any liability of the same tiunhl ng over.

in the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved easel applied to a show card or sign. Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 83 of Figure 1. Figure l is a plan view of a blank froni which the easel embodying my invention is constructed.

Similar characters of reference 'ndicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

lily improved easel is constructed of a single sheet of cardboard or other suitable flat material similar to the easels now commonly used and is provided with an upwardly tapering standard, prop or brace 10 of plate form which is adapted to be connected at 1ts less. Serial no. 651,257.

front edge with the rear side of a show card ll or the like and project rearwardly therei'roni shell, counter, or other available surface. The connection between the standard and the show card may be accomplished in any suitable manner, for instance as shown in the drawings, this may be effected by providing the front edge of the standard with an upright attaching iiange or flap 12 which is attached to the rear side of the show card bycement or the like and is foldably connected with the standard along an upright creased or scored line 13. The standard may be folded and unfolded relatively to the show card by swinging over the crease line 13 as a hinge and the same be held in its unfolded position by one or more locking lips 14 which are formed in the blank at the corner between the. standard and attaching flange and each of which is adapted to project rearwardly and engage a slit 15 in the adjacent edge portion of the standard for holding the standard at right angles to the attaching flange and show card.

In the absence of any provision to prevent it the portion of the standard, instead of remaining in a position at right angles to the show card, will become bent, curled 0r deflected laterally under the action of heat,

and rest at its lower end on the table-,-

moisture or atmospheric conditions, which 1r permitted to occur would reduce the stability of the easel and possibly permit the show card to fall over and thus destroy its advertising value.

To avoid this the rear edge of the standard is stiil'ened or reinforced by providing the same with an upright stillening flange or liap l-d which is connected with the body of the standard by a hinge joint extending along a creased or scored line 17 whereby this l'iange may be folded and unfolded in a horizontal direction. When unfolded so as to project from the standard at right angles or ubstantially so relatively thereto i s op. Wes to stilien or strengthen the.

i and prevent the same from bending, curling or deflecting out of its normal position at right angles to the show card and thus maintaining a firm support for the in the preferred construction the ning flange tapers to vard its upper "l, tlierel'iy furnishing the greatest reinforcing or strengthening effect to the lower end oi? the standard where the same is most needed and gradually reducing this stiiieir ing eflect toward the upper end of the standard in the same measure as less reinforcing of the standard is required.

It is desirable to employ some means for holding the stidening flange in its folded operative condition which means preferably consist of a locking hook 18 out out of the stock or body forming the standard and adapted to be bent laterally therefrom on a creased or scored line 19 and provided at its rear end with a beak 20 which engages with the rear side of the stiffening flange and holds the same at an angle to the standard. The creased line 19 is preferably inclined so that the same rises from its front end toward its rear end and thereby permits of forming a comparatively large hook and still leave a substantial amount of stock between the opening forming the hook and the creased line 19, as shown at 21, so as to avoid weakening the standard at this point and instead maintaining the same sufficiently strong to enable the same to resist warping out of shape while in use.

In order to extend or increase the base area of the standard at the lower end of the same and thus increase the stability of the same and insure maintenance of the display card in its upright position the lower end of the standard is provided with a supporting flange 22 which is adapted to be folded or unfolded vertically relatively to the standard along a horizontal creased or scored line 23 between the same. lVhen the easel is not in use this supporting flange is unfolded and flush with the standard, as shown in Figure a and when in use the same projects laterally from the standard so that it can rest on a suitable surface. This supporting flange preferably tapers forwardly so that it is widest at the rear edge of the standard where the same is most needed and narrowest adjacent to the front edge of the standard where the same is less necessary.

This easel requires practically no more material than one of ordinary construction which does not possess the advantageous features of the present iniproven'ients. The blank for the same can be cut with one operation of a die so that its cost of production is not increased. Furthermore this easel when once set up requires no further attention as the same is not liable to fall down, which is an important consideration in show window displays where the advertising value of show aid or s gn is materially enhanced if the sign is not liable to topple over and dis nge the wares displayed and will permit of ning them in an orderly and well arranged manner.

I claim as my invention:

1. An easel for supper-ti a show card constructed a sheet of iiiateriai, comprising an upri ht standard a apted to be connected at its tront to the show card and to project rearwardly therefrom and proyided at its rear upright edge with a horizontally still'ening i go which is joined therewith a creased line, and means for holding said st' l'ening flange in ts operative position, comprising locking hoot: stamped wholly out o the stool; of said standard and haw a rearwardly project in g bealtwhioh is adapted to engage the edge of said flange.

2. An easel for supporting constructed of a sheet of material, comprising an upr ht stair (lard adapted to be connected at its front e to the show card and to project r 'waidly there Gill and provided at its rear upright edge with a horizontally foldable stillening flange which is joined therewith creased line, and means for hold oning flange in its operative position, comprising a looking hook stamped out of the steel: of said standard and having a rearwardly projecting beak which is adapted to engage the edge of said flange, and the base of said hook being connected with the body of said standard by a or sed line which is inclined and rises fro-in its front end toward its rear end.

in testimony whereof T r-r'liiz my signature.

Fltl'il lli C. SCPILTTZER.

show card 

